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70th Anniversary of Germany’s constitution

On May 23rd, the German Constitution will turn 70. Only that it was never christened “Verfassung” (Constitution) , but enacted instead under the more humble name of “Grundgesetz” (Basic Law) - designed to be but an interim solution...

On May 23rd, the German Constitution will turn 70. Only that it was never christened “Verfassung” (Constitution) , but enacted instead under the more humble name of “Grundgesetz” (Basic Law) - designed to be but an interim solution. It was to act as a placeholder until the day when re-unification of West Germany with then Soviet-controlled East Germany would eventually allow for a “real” constitution to guarantee personal freedom, democratic rights and rule of law for all Germans. When that day finally came in 1990 after more than 40 long years of division, however, a different course was chartered. Despite its lackluster name, the Basic Law had given postwar democracy in Germany such a solid foundation that it was decided to simply hang on to it as the permanent constitution for the re-united country.